THE WEST SHORE,
239
"No, it will not," he cried back bluutly. "Keep it
up, and let out a little line with your fingers when he
pulls hardoot."
By the time lie reached me 1 was in a Bad plight, foot
like ice and hands benumbed. But wot and oold wont
for nothing five miuutoa later, when the fish lay upon the
bank, its prismatio sides Blowly turning pale and dull,
and I knelt over it half in pity and half in triumph.'
" You did that very pluckily, little one, but I am
afraid you will suffer for it by and by. You must be
chilled through."
Quickly as I looked up at him I only mot a good
humored smile.. He did not mean to be rude. And
after all, when I was in such a moss, it was not possible
that he could see what I was like. He was wet enough
himself. As for his hands, they looked red and knuckly
enough, and he had been wading almost to his waist
But he looked, I don't know why, all the stronger and
manlier and nicer for these things, because, perhaps, he
oared for them not one whit. What I looked like myself
I dared not think. My skirts were as short as short
could be, and they were soaked; most of my hair was un
plaited, my gloves were split, and my sodden boots were
out of shape. I was foroed, too, to shiver and shake
from oold, which was provoking, for I knew it made me
seem half as small agnin.
" Thank you, I am a little cold, Mr. , Mr. , I
said, only my teeth would chatter so that lie laughod out
right as he took me up with
"Herapath. And to whom have I the honor of
speaking?"
"I am Miss Guest," I said miserably. It was too
oold to be frigid to advantage.
" Commonly called Bab, I think," the wretch answered.
" The walls of our hut are not sound-proof, you see. But
come, the sooner you got back to dry clothes and the
stove the better, Bab. You can cross the river just below
and cut off half a mile that way."
"I can't," I said obstinately. Bab, indeed! How
dared he?
"Oh yes, you can," with intolerable good temper.
"You shall take your rod and I the prey. You cannot
be wetter than you are now."
He had his way, of course, since I did not foresee
that at the ford he would lift ine up bodily and carry me
over the deeper part without a pretence of asking leave,
or a word of apology. It was done so quickly that I had
no time to remonstrate. And while I was still choking
with rage, ho seined my hands and sot off at a trot, lug.
ging me through the sloppy places much as I have soon
u nurse drag a fractious child down Constitution Hill.
It was not wonderful that I soon lost the little broath his
speech had left me, and was powerless to ooinplnin when
we reached the bridge. I oould only thank heaven that
there was no sign of Clare. I think I sliould have died
of mortification if she had soon us come down the hill
band in hand in that ridiculous fashion Hut she bad
gone home, ami at any rat I escaiod that degradation.
"Well, I uever!" Clare said, surveying me from s
respectful distance, whon at last I was safe in our room.
" I would not be seen in such a state by a man for all the
fish in the soa I"
And she looked so tall, and trim, and noat, that it was
tho more provoking. Tapa was in the plot against mn,
too. What right had he to thank Mr. Horapath for
bringing "his little girl" home safe? He can bo pom.
pons enough at times. Mr. Horapath dined with us that
evening; but nothing I could do, though I made the lost
of my wretched frock and was as stiff as Clare herself,
could alter his first impression. It was too bad: he had
no eyesl He either oould not or would not see any ouo
but the draggled Bab- fifteen at most and a very tomboy
whom he had carriod across the river. He styled
Clare, who talked Baedeker to him in her primmest and
most precocious way, Miss Quest, and once at least dur
ing the evening duhbod me plain Bait. I tried to freexo
him with lxk thon, and papa gave him a tasto of tho
pomxms manner, saying ooldly that I was older than I
seemed. But it was not a bit of use: I oould see that ho
set it all down to the grand airs of spoiled child
When I asked him it he was fond of dancing, lis said
good-naturodly: "I don't visit very much, Miss Bab, I
am generally engaged in the evening."
Here was a ohanoo. I was going to say that that no
doubt was the reason why I had never mot him, when
papa ruthlessly out me short by asking, "You are not In
the law?"
" No," he said. " I am in the London Fire Brigade."
I think that we all upon the instant saw him in a
helmet sitting at the door of the fire station by HL Mar
tin's Churoli. Clare turned crimson and papa seemed on
a sudden to call his patent to mind. The moment before
I had bean as angry as angry oould I with our guest,
but I was not going to look on and see him snubbed when
he was dining with us and a!!. Ho I rushed into the gap
as quickly as surprise would let me with "Good gracious,
how nlcel Do toll me all alxmt a Orel "
It made matters my matters worse, for I could
have cried with vexation when I read in his face next
moment that he had looked for their astonishment; while
the ungrateful fellow set down my eager remark to mere
ohihlish ignorance.
" Home time I will," he said with a quiet smile; " but
I do uot ofteu attend one in ierson. I sin Captain 's
private secretary, aide-de-camp and general factotum."
And it turned out that he was the son of certain
Canon Horamth, so papa sot to discussing Mr. Glad
stone, while I stipMM off to ImhI feeling as small as I ever
did in my life and out of touiHr with overylssly. It was
a long time sinco 1 had Ux-ii used to young iihui talking
politics to apa, when they oould Ulk- politic - to ine.
Possibly I deserved ths week of vexation which fol
lowed; but it was almost more than I oould bear. He
Mr. Horapath, of course - was always about fishing or
lounging outside the little white (Misting house, taking
walks and meals with us, and seeming heartily to enjoy
pupil's aocii-ty.
H was such sit cLlur brother to tiling I uetri